Today we saw another great specialty label for New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire Amber Ale. This appears to be the winter version of the Fat Tire joy ride labels I brought you in March. More details on that here or here. This is the 12oz bottle label but they also received approval today for the 22oz version. As a bonus, I’ve included the new Clutch DARK Sour Ale keg label. We brought you the original keg approval for Clutch in May when it was just listed as a Sour Brown Ale…now today we see this 9% brew listed as “Dark Sour Ale.”

30 July 2011

Even with our current chaotic brewing pace, we are squeezing out one more release this fall – Perpetual IPA in 22 ounce bottles.

In our constant evolution as a brewery, we’ve developed on undying drive to meld the organic and the mechanical. Perpetual IPA utilizes our hopback and dry-hopping to engineer a bold Imperial Pale Ale. Perpetual IPA is 7.5% ABV and 85 IBUs. It features Bravo, Chinook and Mt. Hood hops in the boil, Mt. Hood and Nugget hops in the hopback and Citra, Cascade and Nugget hops in dry-hopping.

“Straw in color and bittered with an abundance of citrus and spicy hops, Perpetual IPA is a tribute to building our new brewery and our desire to continue exploring,” says John Trogner.

Perpetual IPA will be in wholesalers by the third week of August and should be available in retailers no later than Labor Day.

UPDATE: Upcoming Scratch Beer Releases! We are getting the Scratch Beer Series back in gear with a few new releases coming out in the next few weeks.

First up will be Scratch #45 – IPA (7% ABV, 85 IBU, Bravo,Cascade & Citra hops). This is our 7th IPA in our continuing hops saga – which will culminate with the release of Perpetual IPA. (FYI, Perpetual IPA is not any one of these exact IPA recipes; the variations were an opportunity to test hop combinations.) To celebrate our first Scratch beer release in a few months, we will have a firkin in the tasting room bar on Friday, July 29, tapping at 12 noon. Cases, six-packs and growlers will also be available for take-out starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 29. There is a one-case limit/person or two six-packs and two growlers limit/person.

Scratch #46 – Naked Elf – will follow as soon as #45 sells out. An exact release date has yet to be been determined but keep an eye on our website and Facebook for details.

We are already looking toward the fall for more Scratch Beers with a Wit beer (featuring raw wheat from a local farm), and Oktoberfest, a Wet-Hopped beer (a similar recipe to last year, again featuring Citra hops), and an Abbey ale slated for brewing. We will announce release dates when the beers tell us they are ready.

T2: Equipment Arrival Continues and Project on Schedule Our brewhouse and associated equipment (14 trailer loads in all) have now arrived at the new brewery – along with the BrauKon fabrication team. This German-based company built the entire brewhouse in Germany and then shipped it in pieces to the US. The team came here to finish the project and will be on-site for the next ten weeks getting everything in place.

Our goal is to

start test batches on the system in mid-September and to be brewing in mid-

October, which is still on schedule.

While many are chomping at the bit to see the new facility, we will let everyone know of an expected opening date as soon as we have one!

For the time-being, be sure to check out our website for pictures, videos, and other goodies as we are constantly adding content to the So You Want To Build a Brewery blog page on our website.

FALL RELEASE: Dead Reckoning Porter Ready to Ship Dead Reckoning Porter will be released in early August throughout our eight-state distribution network and should be on the street around August 15. It will be available in 12 ounce bottles and ½ kegs only.

A two-time GABF Silver Medalist, Dead Reckoning Porter is unfiltered and weighs in at 5.8% ABV and 53 IBU’s. It features Pilsner, Caramel, Chocolate and Roasted malts along with Chinook and Vanguard hops. “The outstanding taste and flavor of Dead Reckoning originates in the chocolate and roasted malts,” says John Trogner. “There is a nice hoppiness in the front of the beer, followed with a rich, smooth cocoa mouth feel.”

Later in the year, be on the lookout for Anthology 3 with a new beer line-up. Details will be announced closer to the release date.

AODT 2011: Our Bottle Caps. Your Imagination.

We are still accepting submissions for the 2011 Art of Drinking Tröegs Bottle Cap Art Contest. The rules are simple—make a piece of art incorporating Tröegs bottle caps.

To enter submit a picture of your bottle cap art with your name, address and phone number to Tröegs Brewery. Submission can be emailed to info@troegs.com or sent to The Art of Drinking Tröegs Contest, Tröegs Brewing Company, 800 Paxton St. Harrisburg, PA 17104. Submissions without contact information will not be valid.

The grand prize winner will receive a $500 cash prize, with runner-up prizes for finalists. Entries will be accepted until midnight on September 30, 2011. We will be announcing the grand prize winner at the opening of Tröegs Brewery – Hershey this fall. Go to the Tröegs Web site and click on The Art of Drinking Tröegs contest link. You will find numerous examples of previous entries along with complete contest rules. Get inspired and make art.

This morning we have a new 750ml brew from Cigar City Brewing called Guava Grove (Ale with guava added). “giant cell phones. White pantsuits Reaganomics. The 80’s was all about excess. We tip our neon trillby hats to that mentality with this beer. Not satisfied with the amount of guava in out Guava Grove saison, we doubled the amount of fruit in Guava Grove to create a truly radical beer fit for any dude or dudette. Totally Tubular!”

We’ve been talking quite a bit about AB licensing the various telephone area codes….so of course Goose Island (aka AB) did the smart thing and locked in their 312 (area code) Urban Wheat Ale. Surprise!

29 July 2011

New IPA Project this Saturday at Visitor’s Center ~ Be sure to stop by between noon and 3 to check it out! Details below from Chris…

Head Brewer Chris Wilson:Well it’s almost August and that means we can really start talking about autumn beers, right? We are full steam ahead on production of Imperial Pumpkin Ale and now, AutumnFest as well. Some of you may have actually seen these beers start to trickle out onto the shelves of your local store. The rest of you should see them sometime in August. We have increased production of Imperial Pumpkin Ale by a huge amount this year to TRY and keep up with demand, but I bet you’ll still want more. Don’t forget about AutumnFest either! If you are looking for a nice malty brew that’s incredibly drinkable, AutumnFest is your beer.

Hopefully, you’ve been keeping up with the IPA Project. Well, it’s time for another installment. We are calling it Crimson. Again, the name is random, so no, it is not RED! For the love of PETE, it’s random! You know, to avoid confusion from beer to beer! Arrrrggh…. “I have people skills!”

Well, this is one sticky hop concoction! A west coast-style IPA with big citrus and pine notes. Kettle hopped with Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial, and then dry hopped with more Simcoe and Centennial for an incredible hop flavor and aroma. If you like hops, Crimson is going to make you stand up and smack your mama!

August is also going to bring our next Brewer’s Select Beer, Romeo. We’re going to go Belgian with this one. It has not been bottled at the time I’m writing this, but I can tell that it will be an ~8.5% Belgian Red Ale. We are looking at around 35 IBUs and a nice dose of Hallertuaer and Saaz in the finish. Maybe you should consider a gift for your mama after what Crimson made you do.

I have one last little bit of information for you. We have two incredible beers that are coming up for release. It may be September or October, but they are awesome. Keep your ear to the ground for details that will follow shortly.

If you find yourself drinking a Weyerbacher Beer, give us a shout on twitter @weyerbacher. And as always, please visit our website, www.weyerbacher.com.

I’ve followed along as 21st Amendment Brewing started back in 2000 and progressed to where they are today. Maybe it was the fact that I simply liked their name and what it stood for (the 21st Amendment repealed prohibition), or maybe it was the fact that I simply liked their beers…but either way it’s been a fun ride.

Today’s guest on the Friday BeerBuzz, Shaun O’Sullivan, is the co-founder and brewmaster at 21st Amendment. I remember a few weeks ago calling Shaun and as we spoke about doing today’s show Shaun was actually crossing the Golden Gate Bride…so needless to say 21st Amendment Brewing Co is located in San Francisco and it’s just 2 blocks from Giants Park.

21st Amendment brewing began with a dream to bring back the neighborhood brewery not only as a place to buy a fresh beer, but as a gathering place for local neighborhoods, and after talking to Shaun it’s apparent that 21st Amendment has succeeded.
21st Amendment has a ton of great beer, but I really wanted to sample their Hop Crisis Imperial IPA. Ever since I broke news of this new brew from 21st Amendment, I’ve been anxious to try it…and what could be better than to try it with Shaun.

This is a big beer for sure. At 9.7% ABV and 94 IBU it's big in flavor and really big in ABV…but be not afraid. This is a tasty Imperial IPA with an interesting backing oak flavor created by the addition of the oak spirals. After just one taste I can tell you I really like beer and the way Shaun decided to deal with the Hop Crisis.

28 July 2011

Our friends at Cricket Hill Brewing join us today with the new 12oz bottle packaging for Colonel Blides Cask Ale. This 5.5% ABV 31 IBU ale is a package overhaul from the previous mostly-black label. According to their website, “

A tasty, moderately hoppy, easy to drink beer with an orange marmalade hue with a frothy, off-white head. An herbal hop aroma with a hint of lemon and pine. This beer is not overly bitter, with orangy citrus and pine hop with slight earthy notes! There is a malty biscuit flavor that balances the hops. Makes me wish I had some Fish & Chips!!”

Here’s the keg label for Bell’s Brewery Hopsoulution Ale. This was a regional release last year (Illinois only) and it was also released in bottles. This brew is a German Double IPA and in previous years it has been 9% ABV

27 July 2011

In case you missed it, last week we welcomed

Brian O’Reilly from Sly Fox Brewing on the Friday BeerBuzz to help us taste Pikeland Pils. This brew is one of Sly Fox’s flagship beers and for good reason. It’s a very tasty brew and I think Brian for not only creating such a yummy pilsner, but also for joining us on the show to talk about it.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint: This week we’re creating a hop emergency and inviting the brewmaster on to help us take care of it!

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com).

Drakes Aroma Coma: Looks like this 6.75% IPA will once again be packaged in 22oz bottles and com in at 75 IBU.

“Aroma Coma, is our summer seasonal India Pale Ale. We’ve brewed it annually since 2009 for a local IPA festival, where it was selected one of the top 3 beers in the competition. The malt bill consists of almost all 2-row barley malt, with a touch of Caramalt for body–leaving you with a delightfully hop-forward experience. Generous amounts of Cascade, Chinook, CTZ & Citra hops create the citrus, pine & floral notes.”

Caldera Mogli: This 8.5% ABV 22oz bottled Oak-aged Imperial Porter brewed with chocolate was “inspired by the loss of a dear friend…big and full of unconditional love!”

26 July 2011

Escondido, CA | July 26, 2011 -- Fifteen years ago to the day, Steve Wagner and Greg Koch opened the doors of Stone Brewing Co., and sold their very first keg of Stone Pale Ale. A decade and a half later, Stone is now the 14th largest craft brewery in America. Many things have changed, but many more have stayed the same for the duo, like their love for making and promoting craft beer, as well as their commitment to supporting local charities. Perhaps nothing better exemplifies this than the upcoming Stone 15th Anniversary Celebration & Invitational Beer Festival, taking place August 19-20.

Besides assembling over 40 of the nation’s top breweries to pour their wares, the Anniversary Celebration is Stone Brewing Co.’s biggest fundraiser of the year, with all proceeds being donated to local charities. “We’ve helped raise over $1,000,000 for deserving local causes with this annual festival, with over $200,000 from last year’s alone,” says Koch. “We’re looking to exceed that this time around, with a goal to hit the $225,000 mark.”

Benefiting from this year’s donations (besides the attendees happily enjoying great beer) will be the Boys and Girls Club of San Marcos, Surfrider Foundation, Palomar Family YMCA, and Fight ALD. Tickets are on sale now, and they WILL sell out.

Friday, August 19th, 6pm-9pm Brewers Reception. $75 per ticket. Includes a commemorative glass, dozens of samples of exceptional beer, complimentary gourmet food, live music, and the chance to hang out with some of the nation’s top brewers in a more exclusive environment.

I just spoke to Bart Rieppel from the River House Brewpub in Milton and he tells me he has left the River House Brewpub in Milton to pursue other brewing adventures. There are no details to report just yet, but Bart tells me he still has his brewing equipment and he and his wife are working toward possibly opening a brewpub in the future…so stay tuned for details. You can also check out our WILK Friday BeerBuzz interview with Bart by clicking HERE.

24 July 2011

I reported it back in 2009 and since that time you have asked (and asked…and asked…and asked….) and Lion Brewery appears to have finally answered. I’m excited to show off the NEW packaging for the new Lion BreweryLiebotschaner Cream Ale. This 12oz bottle label carries the same shape as the updated Stegmaier line of brews, a “product of American brewing” tagline and the 1994-95 and 1995-96 GABF Gold medals (American Lager / Cream Ale category). Lion was also nice enough to include the 5% ABV, 12.5 O.G and even 14 IBU descriptors as well. Welcome back Liebotschaner!!

23 July 2011

I had a chance to stop up and visit Mark Lehman and Chris Miller from Breaker Brewing Company today at their new location in Wilkes-Barre Twp. There are a few hurdles yet to cross, but I’m excited to report the new property has amazing potential and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

If you haven’t been following along, Mark & Chris purchased the former St Josephs Monastery location on Northampton St in Wilkes-Barre Twp. in early June. The property includes two buildings…a huge brick structure that used to be the school building and an even larger sprawling building that used to house the monastery and church facilities. The property also includes a little over 2.5 acres of land, three entrances and several parking lots that will easily accommodate over 75 cars.

We toured every inch of the facility today, and it is not only huge, but the possibilities are endless. The former school building (shown above with Chris & Mark and at right with the Breaker Brewing delivery truck), will house the brewing operations. Several former classrooms on the 1st and 2nd floors will be converted for the actual working brewery portion of the operation.

As you can see in the photo at left, there is much work to be done to convert a former school building into brewing space, but again the potential is amazing. There certainly will be no shortage of usable space and storage areas once it’s all sorted out and the layout is perfect for brewing.

If things progress as planned, a small portion of the 2nd building will likely house a brewpub and sampling/growler room. The most likely location for this is the room shown at right, and I can say the space is perfect for a brewpub. Wide open spaces and great light will make for a great location to enjoy a Breaker Brewing beer.

As I mentioned above there are still a few hurdles to cross and a considerable amount of cleanup and work to be done, but I can’t tell you how amazed I was at the amount of space Mark & Chris have to work with. I can also say that I’m not going way out on a limb when I say that Breaker Brewing’s new location will quickly become a beer-lovers destination once it is all built out.

As the guys move forward, I’ll be sure to visit again (and again, and again) to keep you all informed of their progress. This is a wonderful thing for craft beer lovers in NEPA and I can’t wait to see it all come together. Cheers to Mark & Chris and all of the Breaker Brewing Family members for starting this new and exciting venture.

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